Sterilizing Gas Mixture Apparatus for Aseptic Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for generating sterilizing gas mixtures of air and hydrogen peroxide for aseptic packaging fail to maintain a defined quantitative ratio between air and hydrogen peroxide, leading to inadequate sterilization and disinfection, as they do not provide controlled settings for the concentration and continuous monitoring of the gas mixture.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising an atomizer and storage tank with a controlled atomizer nozzle, an evaporator tank with a heater, and a pressure control system ensures the generation of a sterilizing gas mixture by maintaining constant pressure and temperature, allowing for precise control and monitoring of the air and hydrogen peroxide ratio, converting the liquid hydrogen peroxide into vapor form for effective sterilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed volume mist room with ultrasonic nebulization is used to generate H2O2 aerosol, then the droplet size can be controlled, but the quantitative ratio between air and H2O2 cannot be defined and monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the ultrasonic mechanical nebulization system with a vaporization-based system. Liquid H2O2 is heated to generate vapor, which then condenses on surfaces to form a liquid film. This substitution eliminates the inability to control quantitative ratios while maintaining sterilization effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of H2O2 from liquid droplets (aerosol) to vapor phase. By controlling temperature and pressure parameters, the system achieves defined quantitative ratios between air and H2O2 vapor, enabling precise measurement and control that was impossible with ultrasonic nebulization.
2Reliability
If H2O2 is used in vapor form for sterilization, then a closed liquid film can form on surfaces, but the gas mixture temperature must be maintained slightly above condensation temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of H2O2. Liquid H2O2 is heated to vaporize (liquid to gas transition), and the vapor then condenses on cooler surfaces (gas to liquid transition) to form the sterilizing liquid film. This controlled phase transition ensures reliable sterilization while managing temperature requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system preliminarily heats the H2O2 to vaporization temperature before it contacts the surfaces to be sterilized. This preliminary action ensures the gas mixture is at the correct temperature to form a liquid film upon condensation, maintaining sterilization effectiveness without requiring continuous high-temperature maintenance.
3Device complexity
If intermittent aerosol discharge is used from a fixed volume mist room, then the system is simple, but the volume flow of aerosol onto packaging material cannot be constant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous vapor generation and flow through the system. Liquid H2O2 is continuously heated to produce vapor, which continuously flows through the packaging zone. This continuous action ensures constant volume flow onto packaging material, improving productivity while maintaining reasonable system simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device ensures a consistent and reproducible sterilizing gas mixture is generated, ensuring adequate sterilization and disinfection by maintaining a defined ratio of air to hydrogen peroxide vapor, which condenses on surfaces to form a closed liquid film, enhancing the bactericidal effect.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid second component F2' is atomized and at the same time mixed with the gaseous first component F1
Implementation Method 2
the liquid second component F2' is vaporized as it passes through a heating device 2 arranged in the evaporator container 1.2
Implementation Method 3
The aerosol A or a generated, already single-phase fluid from the two mixture components is heated indirectly, i.e. recuperatively, to the required temperature
Implementation Method 4
a defined setting of the quantitative ratio of the two components forming the gas mixture, the actual value of which can be determined by measurement and used to preset the volume flows of the gaseous first component F1 and liquid second component F2' fed to the fixed storage volume V
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~2a
AI summary
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for producing a sterilizing gas mixture from a gaseous first component as a continuous phase, particularly air such as sterile air, and a liquid second component as a dispersed phase, particularly a sterilizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide, at a predefined quantity ratio. The invention more particularly relates to an apparatus and a method for producing a mixture of air and vaporous hydrogen peroxide having sterilizing properties for use in molding, filling, and sealing packaging machines. The apparatus is characterized in that the top portion of a container (1) consists of an atomization and storage container (1.1) that extends into an evaporator container (1.2) below, at the discharge end of the container (1), the evaporator container (1.2) being equipped with a heating device (2). Furthermore, the atomization and storage container (1.1) encompasses at least one controlled atomizing nozzle (3; 3.1, 3.2) that has a connection for feeding the gaseous first component (F1) and a connection for feeding the liquid second component (F2'). Finally, a pressure regulation device (14) is associated with the container (1), said pressure regulation device (14) triggering the at least one atomizing nozzle (3; 3.1, 3.2) according to the requirements of the discharging device (30) and maintaining the predefined constant pressure (p2=pA) in the container (1) by feeding gaseous first component (F1) and liquid second component (F2') at a predefined quantity ratio (F1/F2').